Worldwide there are four times more men that smoke than women. In 2002 there were 941 million male smokers, which was 43% of all men aged over 15 years old. The largest population of male smokers lives in China – where men are more likely to smoke than not to smoke. Even Puerto Rico and Sweden, with the lowest percentages of men who smoke still have 17% who are smokers.

When smoking is this widespread, smokers do not just damage their own health, but also collectively damage the health of people around them. Passive smoking by children can increase the risks of asthma, cot deaths and chest infections.

“The prevalence of smoking increased dramatically during the world wars, mainly due to the policy of providing free cigarettes to allied troops as a ‘morale boosting’ exercise.” The Cancer Council, 2006